Inside the Beast
by tHe InSaNe OnE1
Summary: (Chapter Four) Aragorn has captured Gollum and is on the way to deliver him to the Mirwood Elves but as he travels, he neglects his health. Will the ranger manage to finish his job or will his job finish him?
1. Memories and Travelling

Inside the Beast  
  
By tHe InSaNe OnE  
  
AN- Hope this isn't too confusing. I've caught 'the plague' as it has been dubbed. Everyone in my school and my school district is getting sick with some sort of flu like thing. ^_^ Gives me more time to write though.  
  
Okies, first chapter of this story. A bit longer than I usually write chapters. I'd say there will be three or maybe four chapters in this tale. Enjoy it!  
  
This fic is dedicated to the reviewers of "Two Men and a Thorn Bush" more specifically: angelface04, A.N.C., shauna, Anita, Alilacia, Kaeera, Freakizimi, shirebound, Carrie, Ainaechoiriel, Karri, Elladan, Nayru, Halogatomon, Emmithar, Chelsey, Mouse, evil spapple pie, and RuByMoOn  
  
This fic is specially dedicated to Nili and Sue. They were the ones who actually demanded this! I never planned on writing it! ^_^ But, you know, what the reviewers demand is what I provide!  
  
Also dedicated to Aralondwen for, as always, making me face my fears and post my stories. ^_^  
  
Well, enough rambling. ^_^ Read and enjoy and perhaps, *puppy eyes* review?  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
The land was starting to look more appealing. The grass was becoming green once more, and the air was most definitely fresher. A soft breeze drifted by, lessening the terrible heat. It was deadly hot outside, and every creature within sixty leagues knew it. Most of the animals were hiding in the trees or in caves to escape the terrible wrath of the sun. Even the men in the area had taken to staying in.  
  
All the men, except Aragorn, son of Arathorn.  
  
He trudged through the knee high grass, his dark hair plastered to his face. The gentle wind did nothing to soothe the burning in the ranger's body. His mouth was drier than it had ever been, and his tongue was simply a dry lump of flesh. If someone tried to talk to him, they would've only been answered by a grunt if anything. The heat had also given him the most unbearable pounding in his head. All of this was bad enough, and he probably would've been in a better mood if IT was not making so much noise.  
  
"The bright orb in the sky! It burnsss uss!" Sméagol wailed, yanking on his lead. "It buuurrnnnsss us! Let us hide from the evil orb!" He gave another hideous cry and flung himself onto the ground.  
  
Aragorn tried to control his temper. Nothing seemed to make the beast happy. First, it was the small cut he had given it with his sword. It had been a complete accident and Aragorn had made sure that it healed up, but Sméagol continued to moan about it. Then it was the rope. The rope was terrible too. He had complained about that as well. He had shrieked and wailed and begged and made such a general fuss about it, that Aragorn just about killed him there. Finally, he promised that as soon as they found a village, he would get a different rope, one that wouldn't 'burn' Gollum.  
  
Now, it was the sun. It burned this thing as well. Aragorn wasn't stopping anytime soon though. Orcs were about and he wasn't risking getting caught. Though it was possible to be caught at any time, Aragorn felt safer with the sun up and at night, he felt safer moving. So, for now, Gollum would have to deal with everything. Hopefully, he would do it silently.  
  
Aragorn scowled at the creature once more, before trudging forward. He would drag Gollum, or Sméagol, or whatever he was, the entire way if necessary. At this point, the sooner he got to Mirkwood, the better. He was beginning to worry that he would not make it the whole way. There was still at least two days travel, and he was feeling spent as it was. Just a bit more strength, he prayed silently, just enough to get me to Mirkwood. Then, I can rest.  
  
"Nassty man," Sméagol cried, as he followed behind. "Terrible, evil man. Keep poor Sméagol tied up in the burning rope......"  
  
And the creature continued to lament, and somehow, Aragorn kept himself from killing it.  
  
  
  
The stream was rather big to be a stream and yet, it was too small to be a river. It flowed at a steady pace, making its way to some larger source. At its deepest point, it reached about six feet, enough to cover a full-grown man, or an elf. The water in it was cool, and refreshing.  
  
Estel had never been happier for anything in his life.  
  
He dropped to his knees beside the stream, and dunked his head into it. Savoring the comforting feeling, he stayed as he was until he ran out of air. Then, he slowly raised his head again. The water had put a damper on the pain that was lacing his head, but it had not completely stopped. Sighing, he cupped his hands and drank slowly. He had to control himself. It was just as bad to be over-hydrated as dehydrated.  
  
He paused for a second, looking down at his one bandaged hand. It was bleeding through again, which was not at all surprising. Gollum really must've bitten him badly, or worse than he had thought. His other hand had Sméagol's lead wrapped around it, and beneath the cords, he could see bruising. It wasn't startling either. The creature could tug on a lead like nothing else.  
  
Filling his water skin, he drew away from the bank and crawled over to a nearby tree. He couldn't stop. As much as he wanted to, he simply couldn't. There was no way that he could trust Gollum and there were orcs and other dark things about. No, he could rest for a few minutes and then he would have to continue. Just a few more minutes.........  
  
  
  
Sméagol watched with a vague sort of curiosity as the man fell asleep. He yanked on his lead finding that, even though he was unconscious, the man had a good grip. Grumbling unhappily, he sat down, fiddling with his fingers. He had tried to chew through his bindings already, and found that it only burned him, and somehow, made the rope stronger. Evil elven ropes.  
  
"Smeeeaggoolll?" A familiar voice called soothingly. "What is wrroonng Smeagggoolll?"  
  
"Evil man tied Sméagol up," the creature whimpered pathetically. "He makes Sméagol travel when the bright orb is in the sky, and gives Sméagol no rest."  
  
"Pooor Sméagol," the voice cooed, and a hand petted Sméagol's shoulder. He was unaware that it was his own. "Poor Sméagol, do not worry. It is time for us to leave, Sméagol, gollum, gollum."  
  
"Can't," Sméagol whined, tugging on the rope around his neck. "Rope."  
  
"What cuts ropes, precious?" the voice asked patiently. Sméagol twitched, looking around fearfully.  
  
"Daggers, and swords, and knifes," he answered, frightened.  
  
"The man has those, does he not, my precious?" Sméagol found himself reaching towards a dagger that the man carried. He drew back quickly, making small noises of fear.  
  
"No, we mustn't," he whispered. "He will wake up, and then Sméagol will have it worse. He will not feed Sméagol and he will not rest at all. More ropes...."  
  
"He will not wake up, precious," the voice said gently. "Take the knife, and cut the ropes, and then.....cut him."  
  
Sméagol's eyes widened at the thought and he looked back to the dagger. Kill the man? No, the man hadn't been that nasty. After all, he had given him meat instead of the evil elf bread. He had given him water, and cleaned his cuts. He had put up with Sméagol, and though, it was obvious that the man was annoyed a good deal of the time, he had not hit Sméagol or hurt him.  
  
  
  
~Flashback~  
  
  
  
The smells of the Dead Marshes had long since become a part of him, and they no longer disturbed him. The noise made by the dead spirits did not bother him any more. No, he truly was used to everything.  
  
Now, he was crouched by a fresh flowing stream. It was so strange, in the middle of a place so dead, that such a pure thing could exist. But it did, and for that, he was glad. He lapped the water up in a very animal like way, searching the water for anything to eat, even the smallest minnow. Sticking slime covered hands into the water; he sifted through the sand and tried to find something edible.  
  
"Come now, precious, good fishies, nice fishies. Dead things do not eat fishies, so where did theys go? Sméagol cannot find the fishies, no he cannot." He sat back on his haunches. The voice had been silent for days now, the voice that took care of him. Why did it not speak? He needed it!  
  
He was not being vigilant like he should've been. No, he wasn't paying attention at all. He did not hear the rustle behind him, or the heavy footsteps of something that was not a spirit. Nor did he here the soft exclamation of both joy and surprise. Sméagol did not realize anything until something rushed him from behind.  
  
Sméagol howled and dodged out of the way. It was a man and not a ghost man either. No it was a real man, with a real sword. He cradled his arm to him, seeing a slight cut on it from the sharp piece of metal. The man looked exhausted. Dark circles were under his eyes, and he was paler than most men were. His hair was matted with all sorts of things, and his clothing was covered in slime. He looked menacing.  
  
The man charged again, pointing the sword at Sméagol. Sméagol yelled, and dodged him, but the man was prepared this time. He dropped his weapon, grabbing Sméagol by his uninjured arm. Sméagol was shocked at first, but the shock lasted for less than a second, and instinct kicked in. He fought like a mad thing, clawing, biting, kicking, and hitting. Yet, the man did not relent. He held the gangly creature around the waist, slowly dragging him back towards the discarded sword.  
  
"No, precious! Do not let hims get the meaaaan sword!" The voice cried. Sméagol struggled twice as hard, to no avail. The man grabbed the sword with one blood and dirt covered hand, and pressed it threateningly against Sméagol's throat. Sméagol went still very quickly.  
  
"Still yourself, creature. I do not wish to kill you, for Gandalf wishes you to be alive," the man hissed into his ear. Sméagol listened, suddenly very docile. The man, seemingly satisfied, put down his sword and removed something from around his waist. A burning substance as thrown around the creatures neck, and he howled unhappily. Ripping away from the man, he scrabbled at his throat.  
  
"IT BURNSS US! IT BURNSSSSSSS!" he sobbed, pulling on the rope.  
  
  
  
~End Flashback~  
  
  
  
After that, the man had given him meat, and then cleaned his cut. Then the man had tended to his own injuries, and they had started off. That had been a while ago and the man did not look much different than he had back then. The shadows beneath his eyes had darkened in color, and his face was a shade paler. Strange red blotches were on his cheeks, and he seemed to be growing weaker as they traveled.  
  
"No, we don't daresss kill him," Sméagol cried, backing away until his leash was taut. "No, wes can't kill him. We mustn't kills him. Hesss knowssss the elfssiesss and the elfssiess are dangerousssss."  
  
Then again, if the man did not wake up, Sméagol would be in more trouble. Orcs were not easy companions, and wargs would eat him. Perhaps he could give the man more strength. If he attempted to kill him, he would get in trouble, but if he gained the man's trust......perhaps, then he could escape......  
  
"Nos," Sméagol told the voice. "Nos, we shall get him a fish."  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Aragorn was dreaming.  
  
  
  
"You say you love her," Elrond said sharply. "And yet, you do not love her enough to let her go!"  
  
"You promised me, Elrond," Aragorn answered in return. He had to keep the hurt out of his eyes. "You promised that you would not separate us. She loves me, and I love her in return. Why do you wish to ruin that?"  
  
"I ruin nothing, son of Arathorn," Elrond replied, his anger growing. "Her place is with her people! Do you wish to keep her here where all she will ever have is pain? Death, and pain, and horrors. Is that no selfish? That is a selfish love, human, and it is not true love. She belongs with her people! Do you not want her to be with her mother?"  
  
Aragorn stared silently at Elrond for a few seconds. Could this really be his foster father? Could this really be the elf who had raised him, believed in him, and taken care of him? Could he possibly be saying such harsh things to him now? No, it couldn't be! This could not be HIS Ada! And yet, it was.  
  
"Elrond, she will have me! Is that not enough? You once told me that it would be enough! I told you that I would always be there for her, and I would never leave her! What more can I offer, Elrond? I would give my life for her in a heartbeat!" Just like I almost gave mine for you.  
  
"And when you die, Aragorn? Then what? Will she be left to agonize over your death, and then live out her years in pain, all alone? I will not let that be her end!" Elrond shouted.  
  
"It will not be her end! She will have our children, and they will love her and care for her! She will have another family! She will not be alone!" Aragorn growled, trying to control himself.  
  
"Go, you are being unreasonable." Elrond turned his back to his foster son, and moved to a nearby window.  
  
"I am not being unreasonable. You are being unreasonable," Aragorn snapped, following behind him. "She loves me, father. Do you wish her to die of grief? Do you wish to kill her, Ada?"  
  
A hand came in sharp contact with his face, as Elrond whirled around, fury burning in his eyes. No, wait; it was not Elrond's hand. Elrond was fading away, and Estel's face was wet.  
  
  
  
Aragorn awoke with a bit of a struggle, his hand going to his cheek, almost involuntarily. He looked at it groggily, seeing both blood and water coming back. Was it his blood? No, no it wasn't. Something wet and bloody was resting in his lap. A fish, but where did a fish come from? He cursed himself, realizing that he had fallen asleep.  
  
"Eats it! Eats it! It is fresh and just stopped wrriiiglllling," Sméagol commanded, coming very close to Estel. "It is good, you will like it. Eats it!"  
  
Aragorn picked up the fish, and held it in his hand. It was small and rather thin looking as though it had not eaten in a while. Any other day, he probably would've eaten it. A nice fire and a few herbs with it. But right now, his stomach felt queasy and he didn't want to chance it. He also wasn't going to be able to cook it, and the thought of eating raw fish made his stomach churn.  
  
"No thank you, Sméagol," he answered softly, handing the fish back to the creature. He was quietly surprised. Sméagol could've killed him while he slept and yet, instead, the creature had caught a fish for him. Perhaps there was kindness in the beast after all. Standing up slowly, he stretched his arms and his legs. He was slightly confused. He was sitting too far from the brook for Sméagol to catch a fish. Shrugging to himself, he didn't ponder it.  
  
"But man musst eat the fishy. Only had nasty elf bread for daaayyss now. Get himself sick he has," Sméagol said, following behind the ranger as he started off once more.  
  
"I'm fine Sméagol. You eat it. A raw fish could make a man sick," Aragorn replied, hoping that the creature wouldn't start whining. He had too much on his mind.  
  
"Fines fines fines." Sméagol sniffed, and slowly devoured the fish as they moved along.  
  
Elbereth help me, Aragorn thought, as he watched the setting sun. Help me make it through this.  
  
~*~  
  
TBC  
  
~*~  
  
Um, yes, I am thinking about writing a sequel to "Two Men and a Thorn Bush" because everyone seems to want it. I'm not sure how to write it yet, so, it could appear at just about any time! ^_^ Keep an eye out for it! 


	2. In Mirkwood at Last

Inside the Beast  
  
By tHe InSaNe OnE  
  
AN- *kisses reviewers feet* Thank you for being so patient. Here is the next chapter of my story. It was supposed to be posted on Friday but then FF.net decided to start moving things and I couldn't post! *cries* Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews......  
  
Many thanks to shirebound for pointing out my mistakes in the last chapter. I am very sorry for all the typos and misspellings and other things. They were corrected but still, it was bad on my part.  
  
How old is Aragorn in this story? Mid to late eighties...this is an event that Tolkien spoke of in the appendixes but didn't go into detail about.....SOOO, here I am writing about it ^_^.  
  
Many thanks! Enjoy the chapter!  
  
~*~  
  
"Water in pool, is nice and cool," Sméagol sang happily, as he waded into the small lake as far as his bindings would allow. The water was soothing compared to the heat that that had yet to end. It was still radiating down from the evil, yellow orb in the sky, giving Sméagol no mercy. His skin was sore, for he was only used to traveling during the night and hiding in holes during the day. But, even as burned as he was, he wasn't even half as ill as the man.  
  
His large eyes flickered over to his captor for a second. No, not close to as bad as the man. The man's face was a bright red color, and Sméagol knew that it wasn't just from the sun. The dark color beneath his eyes had spread, and it gave the man a haunted look. His skin, where it was not dark or red, was a pallid color. He trembled, and stumbled as they walked, and his eyes had acquired a glazed look. Sméagol knew what this meant, and so did the voice.  
  
The man wasn't going to last much longer. Soon, escape would come.  
  
But Sméagol was not sure if he wanted to leave the man all by himself. The voice insisted that it was the only way but something tugged at Sméagol's heart. The man had taken care of him, had been kind to him, and had been there for him. No one else had ever done that for him, with the exception of the voice. But the voice was not always kind. It had a deceitful, untrusting way about it that scared Sméagol sometimes. But the man seemed genuine. How could he leave the man?  
  
"You mussst leave, precious. You do not havee to kill it, noosss," the voice cooed. "Nosss, do not kills it, just leavees it. It will die on itss own, yesss?"  
  
Sméagol shuddered. "But he takessss cares of usss! He isss good to usss!"  
  
"But he issss keeping us prisssoner, my precioussss! We do not want to be prisssoner," the voice argued, almost angry.  
  
Sméagol ignored it for a second, spotting a large fish swimming close to him. He wiggled his long fingers in a worm like way. The scaled creature came closer, half in curiosity and perhaps, because it was a bit hungry. Sméagol waited patiently for it to swim right up to his hands and then, with lightning speed grabbed the slippery animal. Holding onto it tightly, he pulled it from the water and tossed it onto the shore. It flopped for a few seconds, before going limp.  
  
Letting out a war whoop, Sméagol ran out of the water and crouched beside the fish, inspecting it carefully. Its eyes were bulging and its mouth opened and shut as it slowly suffocated. Sméagol grinned to himself, picked it up in his mouth. A good fish meant a good dinner. He slowly crawled over to the man, sat down then, he shook himself in a very dog like way, soaking his companion.  
  
Aragorn scowled at Sméagol. The creature didn't pay any attention to him, however, for it was engrossed in its fish. Sighing, Aragorn slouched down onto the ground again. The water had felt good on his burning body, but he wasn't going to tell Sméagol. He couldn't let it know that he was weakening. It would use that to its advantage and would escape before he could do a thing.  
  
But, even though he was hiding it, the fact was that Aragorn was getting weaker by the minute. His head hurt, and the rest of his body ached fiercely. A fire burned outside him but inside, he was freezing as though he had swallowed ice. Exhaustion had become so much a part of him that he barely realized that he was on the verge of collapsing. The hunger pains that had once bothered him had disappeared and the thirst that he had felt barely lingered.  
  
"Eats some?" The question snapped him back to reality. Sméagol was looking at him with curiosity, a bit of fish in its hand.  
  
"Nay, Sméagol, but you have my thanks," Aragorn responded, sitting up. The sun was going down, and they had to move on. Oh, how he wanted to just continue to lie there and sleep forever.  
  
"Man iss sssure?" Aragorn turned to the creature and studied its eyes.  
  
There was something he had realized about Sméagol when the creature had started being friendly. Sometimes, the goodness was genuine, and Sméagol really wanted to help. His eyes were innocent, large and eagerly awaiting praise and thanks. But other times, slyness replaced the innocence and eagerness was replaced by deceit. Now was one of those times. It was almost as though a totally different part of Sméagol had taken over the creature.  
  
"Yes, I am sure," Aragorn replied, uncertainly. Gandalf had said that the creature as known as Gollum and yet, his other name was Sméagol. Perhaps, the gentle side was Sméagol and this other side was Gollum. "Come now, we are going."  
  
His eyes focused on the horizon where the woods of Mirkwood were appearing. They had been lingering there all day, taunting the man. They never got closer, if anything, they moved further away. Aragorn shook his head to clear it. No, they were getting closer and he would be there by the next morning at the latest. Then, there was the two day travel to the palace of Thranduil and his job would be done.  
  
Tugging on Sméagol's lead, he started his weary trudge once more.  
  
~*~  
  
Legolas Greenleaf laughed merrily at the bantering of his two friends. Bellmaethor and Saelmin were having another one of their famous arguments. The arguments themselves were known all through Mirkwood, mostly because of how they could be heard all over the forest; they were also known for their strange variety of topics. This one was no different from the others.  
  
"Ah! But I do not need to be as fair as you to win Sell Amloth's heart!" Bellmaethor exclaimed, grinning provokingly at Saelmin. "After all, just look at my name, Bellmaethor! Strong warrior, my friend, and she will want a strong warrior for a husband."  
  
"Well, I believe your parents misnamed you, oh strong one," replied Saelmin, unaffected by the other's comment. "Or am I wrong when I say that the last time we faced orcs, you ran away screaming like a little girl." Bellmaethor scowled deeply. "Besides, we both know that Amloth is an exceptional fighter. She doesn't need protection; she needs someone who can give her wisdom. Maybe like, me?" Saelmin, the wise one, smiled happily at Bellmaethor, the strong warrior.  
  
"Oh, come now, we both know that she is very smart as well. Beautiful, smart, a warrior. She does not need someone to amplify her pretty features, or her intelligence. She needs someone who can understand her warrior side," Bellmaethor argued. "So, obviously, she needs me."  
  
"Now, don't flatter yourself," Saelmin answered, sounding annoyed. A sly grin crossed his face all the sudden, and Bellmaethor gave him a strange look. Saelmin, the wise, turned around, shifting on his horse so he could speak to Legolas. "Perhaps we should ask you Legolas. What think you? The warrior or the smart one?"  
  
Legolas rolled his eyes. "I think Amloth would castrate the both of you."  
  
"WHAT?!" the two of them shouted in unison.  
  
"Well," Legolas said, smiling at them. "Amloth is my good friend, and we've known each other a long time. When we were young, she swore that any man who tried to betroth her would......how did she put it? Oh, yes, 'loose his manhood painfully'. Beautiful, yes; smart, of course; warrior, most definitely. She is evil and dangerous, my friends. I think that she is better off on her own."  
  
His two friends looked at each other, and identical looks of horror appeared on their faces. Legolas broke down laughing again, leaning helplessly against his horse. The beast turned its head, its eyes questioning its master's laughter. Legolas patted his nose, still giggling.  
  
"I didn't know she was violent," Saelmin whispered to Bellmaethor.  
  
"Neither did I!" Bellmaethor replied, his eyes huge.  
  
"Perhaps we should stick to Arwen."  
  
"I think so."  
  
"Too late, my friends!" Legolas said, startling them. "She is already betrothed!"  
  
Saelmin sighed exasperatedly. "We just can't win, can we?"  
  
"No, you cannot. You two are always a step behind!" Legolas chuckled. "But, even if there was a chance that a maid would take interest in either of you, she would soon forget."  
  
"And why is that?" Bellmaethor asked suspiciously.  
  
"Because everyone knows I have twice your looks, I am ten times a better hunter and no one is as smart as me," the prince exclaimed, moving away quickly to avoid being swatted.  
  
"Oh, of course, Legolas. You are the perfect model of what any elf should be," Bellmaethor said sarcastically. Legolas had a come back on his lips but was stopped by Saelmin.  
  
Saelmin was looking off into the forest, his blue-grey eyes focusing on something in the distance. Pushing a few strands of blonde hair from his face, he turned to his companions.  
  
"We are not alone," he commented grimly. "Something comes, and by its heavy footsteps, it is either a man or an orc."  
  
Legolas tensed, turning his gaze towards the figure in the distance. He could not make it out clearly, for it was still far away. It walked like an orc, but what would an orc be doing traveling all alone?  
  
"Let's see what this thing is!" Legolas faced his horse in the direction of the approaching creature. "ONWARD!"  
  
"Are you crazy?" Bellmaethor questioned, as he followed both Saelmin and Legolas.  
  
"Might be." Legolas grinned to himself. The thing was getting closer and closer and it was taking the shape of a man. Good, time to just scare the man out of the woods of Mirkwood and then, they could continue their ride home.  
  
Saelmin rode in front of Legolas, mostly because it was his job to protect his prince and partially because he knew it annoyed his friend. Legolas scowled at his back, and stuck out his tongue childishly.  
  
"Honestly, Saelmin, the more you treat me like a prince, the more I feel like a child," Legolas pouted, crossing his arms.  
  
"I know!" Saelmin replied with a smirk. "That's why I do it!"  
  
They soon rode up beside the stumbling human, and dismounting, they hid in the foliage. Legolas narrowed his eyes as the human limped on, completely unaware of their presence. This man dressed in the garb of a ranger, and yet, he acted like an untrained boy. A ranger would be on guard at all times, and would know that he was not alone.  
  
"Who wants to greet our friend?" the prince asked, turning to the two beside him. Bellmaethor looked a bit frightened and Saelmir simply shrugged.  
  
"I will, my lord," the wise one said, and he crept from his hiding spot. Legolas watched carefully as Saelmir skulked through the trees and finally jumped out in front of the man.  
  
"Who enters the woods of the Elf King?" Saelmin demanded in his most blank and cool voice. His bow was loaded with a single arrow pointing directly at the man's head. The man stared for a few seconds and did not respond until.  
  
"Do not let it hurtssss ussss!" A voice squealed, making both Saelmin and the man start. Saelmin released his arrow, and it flew just above the man's head. The man lurched backwards, and the hood of his cloak fell off, revealing a travel worn face. A creature slunk into view behind the man, and Legolas pondered how he could've missed it. It wasn't something someone would miss on a usual scan of the woods. He didn't ponder it long however, for the next thing he focused on was the man's face.  
  
"Aragorn!" he cried, bursting forth from the bushes. Aragorn's slumped figure straightened slightly at the familiar voice.  
  
"Legolas?" The look of utter bewilderment on the man's face showed that he was not all there. His eyes held a glazed look, and his face was flushed. Legolas pushed past Saelmin and pulled the man into a hug.  
  
"Suil, nin mellon!" the elf cried, pulling out of the hug, his hands resting lightly on the man's shoulders. It shocked him how old Aragorn looked. "It has been a long time."  
  
"Mae govannen, Legolas," Aragorn mumbled, his eyes still not showing comprehension. He was leaning heavily upon the elf as though he could not stand on his own. "Yes, very long."  
  
Legolas had learned long ago what this meant. "You are not well."  
  
"Legolas?" Bellmaethor questioned, desperately trying to get the prince's attention. Both he and Saelmin were staring at the same spot.  
  
Legolas ignored his elven friend, his attention fully on Aragorn.  
  
"Nay, I suppose not," Aragorn replied sleepily. A small, erratic giggle escaped his lips. "I never seem to be when I come here." And he laughed a bit more, his head bowed slightly. The laughter seemed to die rather quickly however, and soon Legolas found that Aragorn was crying. Legolas knew that the situation was worse than he had originally thought......  
  
During this time period, both Bellmaethor and Saelmin had been trying to get their prince's attention. They both had repeated his name over and over, but Legolas seemed too absorbed with the ill human to pay attention to anyone else. They watched as he slowly lowered the man to the ground and started speaking softly to him. They waited for him to give some sort of acknowledgement to their presence. He didn't.  
  
"LEGOLAS!" Saelmir yelled, giving into his utter exasperation and horrification. Legolas' head shot up immediately. Saelmir was not one to yell.  
  
"What is it?" The prince asked with quite a bit of annoyance. Both Bellmaethor and Saelmin pointed mutely to the creature they had been taking in.  
  
Legolas looked down at the gangly creature once more. It was cowering away from both of his other companions and huddling next to Aragorn. It was pale, and thin, looking as though it did not eat often or enough. Its wide golden eyes stared around, terror filling them. It was mumbling unceasingly about something or another, fiddling with Aragorn's tunic sleeve.  
  
"What are you?" Legolas questioned, his worry giving his voice an edge.  
  
"Do not lettsss them hurt usss, precious!" the creature sobbed, pulling harder on Aragorn's shirt. "Do not lettsss them."  
  
"Legolas...." Legolas glance down at Aragorn. The man looked like he was trying to say something important but he couldn't find the words.  
  
"Rest, my friend. You can tell me later," Legolas soothed, wondering why his friend had such a creature with him.  
  
"But I must......." Aragorn paused closing his eyes. "I must talk to Thranduil....must finish...the job......Mithrandir said......." Slowly, he was passing into the land of unconsciousness. He reached out and grabbed Legolas' wrist, trying to focus. "Don't hurt Sméagol.......Gandalf...said........." But he did not manage to say another word and his hand fell limply to his side.  
  
Legolas looked down at the creature called Sméagol wondering why on earth Aragorn would not want him to put it out of its misery. But, if Aragorn truly wanted it alive, then he would let it live.  
  
"Yessss, don't hurtsss usss, elfsiees," Sméagol begged, cowering. "Lisssten, to the nice man, preciousss."  
  
"Hush yourself, and we will leave you be," Legolas snapped, as he turned his attention back to his fallen friend.  
  
He could not find any wounds other than for a rather deep cut in the man's left hand, and the bruising on his right. Aragorn seemed relatively alright. What could possibly make him so weak? Sick. That was it. Aragorn was ill. Legolas scowled unhappily, knowing that this was not a good thing. He knew very little about human illness and the healers at his home knew next to nothing.  
  
"Are you sure we can't kill it?" Saelmin asked with disgust, using one of his daggers to poke at Gollum.  
  
"No, bring it with us, but do not harm it," Legolas commanded. He removed the rope from around Estel's hand and grimaced. Slowly, he handed it to Saelmin. "We will see what this is about."  
  
"My lord, what is wrong with him?" Bellmaethor asked tentatively, pity gracing his features as he looked at the human.  
  
Legolas shifted Aragorn and slowly stood up. The man felt light in his arms, and if it was possible for his worry to grow any more, it did.  
  
"Many things, Bellmaethor, many things," Legolas replied, walking back towards his horse. "Let's move away from here and find a place to set up camp. I get an ill feeling from this place."  
  
He only wished he knew more.  
~*~  
  
TBC...  
  
~*~  
To My Reviewers:  
  
Lina Skye- YOU! I have a bone to pick with you!! Urgh! You go and get me addicted to your fics and then decide that you have too much work to update often!! AIE! What am I supposed to do? *sniffles* They are so good and I am stuck here waiting like some crazy person. ^_~ But on a more serious note, they are good enough that I can wait. Yes, Aragorn does seem prone to not taking care of himself. Stupid ranger. ^_^ But things can only get better.....right? Thank you so much for your review!  
  
Elizabeth Goode- *falls over* x_x.....OMG! It's YOU! Wow! That's so cool! You wrote one of my all time favorite fics! Ah! Thank you so much for your review! I feel so honored!  
  
shirebound- Many apologies and many thanks. I went back and corrected all the things that you pointed out (and smacked myself for missing them when I went through it the first six times) and reposted the chapter. Thank you very much for that........I don't know how I could've missed them..... So, you liked that line? I was trying to put a bit of light hearted nature into the story. As you can see, I have a hard time torturing people without a bit of humor! ^__^ Still love your stories and can't wait for your next updates. Thanks so much for your review!  
  
Mouse- ^_^ Well, you deserve the dedication! You put up with my other stories! You read them, you reviewed them, and you deserve dedications.....^_^ Mwahahaha..... Well, this story is continued as you wanted it to be! ^_^ Thanks for your review!  
  
Emmithar- Ewww... a bacterial infection! Those are terrible... I don't usually get sick, so I am a wimp when I do manage to catch something. I've had the flu already this year (over Christmas break) and I was a baby during that. I had some sort of pneumonia related thing last summer and I had a reason to be a baby then... ^_^ But I'm getting better now. I hope you are too because you need to write more : P! ^_^ You deserve the dedication, nin mellon. You have faithfully read all my fics and I feel honored by it! As you can see, there will be more chapters to this story and Legolas will never let Aragorn live this down. ^_~ Mwahahahaha! ^_^ Well, keep writing, nin mellon! Take care, enjoy being well! Thanks for the review.  
  
Elladan- Yes, it would've been too easy for Aragorn just to eat the fish. As you can see, Sméagol is still trying to get him to eat and is still having difficulties. ^_^ Can't make to many things easy for our hero.... It was my pleasure to read your stories! ^_^ You're an excellent writer and I cant wait until you post something new. Reviewing is the best part of reading for me. I like to talk. It's a family trait! ^_^ So, reviews are fun! Thank you very much for all the reviews that you give me! I am so honored!  
  
HobbitsRFun- LoL! Yes, I suppose Elrond is mean, but what is going to happen in the end.....hmmm... Mwahahaha! Well, we will never know until that chapter rolls round, now will we! Gollum is fun. I think he's my favorite part of this story. I only wish I could portray him better. ^_^ Thank you for your review! I'm going to see if you posted.......  
  
Melissa- ^_^ You could feel sorry for the both of them! Aragorn is all sick and he's probably on his death bed if you think about it! ^_^ I'd feel sorry for Sméagol, not Gollum. Gollum is too devious. Sméagol is just like a little lost child. ^_^ Hope you liked the chapter! Thanks for the review!  
  
mbali- Well, he sort of had to have a heart, now didn't he? After all, he looked after Sam and Frodo through out the TTT. That shows, that deep down, there is some goodness in that little corrupted heart of his. And since that goodness could not just appear all of the sudden, I've decided it started when he was in the care of Aragorn! ^_^ Mwahaha. Thank you very much for your review!  
  
Sue- ^_^ Yes, you are very demanding. You and Nili are two of the most demanding people I know! *sighs* You people ^_~. LoL. I judge Aragorn as a more compassionate type as well, but since he is sick, and he can't do anything to make Sméagol happy, he has to be a bit annoyed, right? Ah, the fallout between father and son....hmm, well, I'll tell you a secret. Since this takes place so close to Lord of the Rings, there is very little make up between Elrond and Estel. I will have a scene with them at the end, just before Aragorn takes off to the Shire. You will see then, nin mellon. Much apologies for how long this took. It was supposed to be up Friday and then all of the sudden, FF.net got weird again! Well, it's here now, and the next chapter is being written! Many thanks for the review and the demands.  
  
Carrie- ^_^ Well, Aragorn has not slept for many a day or eaten for many a day, but he's sleeping now. Two Men and a Thorn Bush? Mwahaha, well, as you know, that one is being written. A few odd things have pushed their way into the story. Drunk twins, strange lines from Shakespeare, but hey, weird things make the world go 'round. I mean, fanfiction is weird, and I would die without it! LoL, thank you very much for your review! *sobs* I cried when I read "Remember"......  
  
Kawaii BlueBear- ^_^ I am all better now! It's all thanks to your chicken soup and tea! Thank you very much for them! You like Sméagol too? Lot's of people like Sméagol....It makes me happy! ^_^ Thank you very much for the review! Post some more of your stories soon!  
  
Nili- *giggles* Well, unfortunately, my mother would not let me stay home after I caught the plague. The chapter was written but I was unable to post it do to the stupidity of FF.net! *sighs* I wish I had known that it was going to shut itself down on the fourteenth.... that would've been too much to ask for though. Well, Aragorn has reached Legolas but it seems like the prince is unable to help him much..... *sighs* What a shame! *runs away screaming as Nili sicks Fred senior senior on her* AIE! Okay! SO MAYBE LEGOLAS CAN DO SOMETHING! *pats Gollum on the head* Now, now, no need for such violence......She's a reviewer. You must be nice to her! More of your story soon. Me demand. ^_^ Me thank for review.  
  
Freakizimi- ^_^ I am glad you enjoy it, oh faithful reviewer of mine! ^_^ Thanks for the review! Hoped you enjoyed this chapter as well!  
  
Alilacia- ^_^ You deserve to be amongst the dedicated people! Mwahahaha, ^_^ After all, you've read my stories and you deserve the glory! I am so happy when famous authors take time to read my works! Ehehe, I loved the Forbidden Pool seen! It's so cute. Well, Aragorn is in good hands now. Very sick, very tired but in good hands. ^_^ Hopefully, everything will turn out okay.....right? ^_^ I love Sméagol. He's so innocent and so easily controlled. I think that he is just mislead by the Gollum side of him. Misunderstood, mislead *hugs Sméagol* my poor baby. ^_^ Well, sorry to keep you waiting so long! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!  
  
Kaeera- Mwahaha, yes much Aragorn angst. I enjoy Aragorn angst. Actually, I don't really know why I torture Elladan...It's just enjoyable. ^_^ You deserved to be mentioned, oh great reviewer and writer! EVERYONE GO READ KAEERA'S STORY!!! *coughs* Sorry for that strange lapse. So, French and German are worse? Italian is pretty bad in its own way. I think there are many forms of 'the'.... can't remember how many.... let's see (la, il, lo, l', las, los....the list goes on....). Maybe my teachers are wrong.....hmmm....mwahahaha, well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I am off to write the next one. Thank you very much for the review!  
  
Anita- So, you're sick? You poor baby! *gives some chicken soup and Elrond* Get better soon. I wanna see the next chapter of your story! I think I would probably faint if someone threw a dead fish at me. I hate fish *shivers*. I'm really glad you liked the Sméagol/Gollum conversation. There should be more of that soon! ^__^ It's good to know I'm getting it right. ^_^ Mwahaha, thanks for the review!  
  
Ciria- ^_^ Don't you love it when you get back and everyone has posted? I love it. Makes me feel loved! ^_^ Mwahaha. Well, this one has about two more chapters, I think. Not much more than that. ^_^ The next chapter of Two Men and a Thorn Bush should be up any day now. Soon as I finish writing it! Well, we will see who has truly won the battle between Sméagol/Gollum in the next chapter! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Many thanks for the review!  
  
Elwen- Star Maiden- ^_^ Here's your chapter Elwen! Hope you enjoyed it! Thank you for the review!  
  
estelcontar- I will take it to the end! Do not worry, nin mellon, I have only given up on three fics in my entire life, which is pretty good for me! *grins evilly* ^_^ Thank you for the compliments and don't worry, the next chapter should be up more quickly!  
  
Thanks for all the reviews! I'll go away now! ^_^ 


	3. Death by Grief

Inside the Beast  
  
By tHe InSaNe OnE with A LOT of help from xsilicax  
  
AN- Ah! It has been a while, nay? Yes, this is for real! It's posted! Mwahahahaha! *grins evilly* Thanks so much for all the kind reviews! You guys sent me on a wonderful guilt trip! LoL! It was great! I spent so much time trying to get this chapter right! Thank you so very, very much!  
  
Yes, there is another name next to mine. ^_^ This wonderful person half- wrote the chapter for me, and kept prodding me on, giving me advice and helping me revise! She writes WONDERFUL stories herself and I say go read them! They are great, much Elrond/Aragorn/Legolas angst all around and some twins angst too! ^_^ Highly enjoyable!  
  
So, I'll shut up! You guys haven't been waiting for eras just to listen to be jabber! ^_^ Read and enjoy and....review?  
  
~*~  
  
Legolas rode hard, his arms wrapped around Aragorn to keep the man from falling off the horse. With each passing moment, he was becoming increasingly worried about Aragorn. Not too long ago, the human had started muttering under his breath, the fever obviously getting the better of him. His mind wandered through memories, and he spoke of his childhood, his brothers and his home.  
  
"Legolas?" Aragorn cried out, his body jerking slightly. Legolas glanced down at Estel, startled. Perhaps things weren't as bad as he had originally thought.  
  
"Aye, it is me, my friend," Legolas said softly, giving Aragorn a reassuring squeeze.  
  
"Legolas, where are you?" the ranger whispered softly. Eyes glazed with illness flickered around, searching desperately for the blonde elf.  
  
"I am right here," Legolas answered, moving his free hand to the man's face. Aragorn shuddered and pulled away from the comforting touch, a soft moan escaping his lips. Silence fell again for a few minutes, but it seemed Estel was not finished speaking.  
  
"Do you know where he is?" he asked, his voice hoarse from the raging fever.  
  
"Who?" Legolas said, wondering if the man was delirious still.  
  
"Legolas; do you know where Legolas is?" Legolas was stunned for a second but not for too long. The human was most definitely not in the right state of mind.  
  
"Do not worry, young one, he is near."  
  
Aragorn did not seem to hear him. He continued murmuring under his breath, his voice just loud enough for Legolas to hear. "Nearby? Good, because I was scared. You can't tell him that or he'll tease me for being a coward but I truly am afraid. The faces, they haunt me, they will not leave me alone. Do you know them?"  
  
Legolas opened his mouth to answer, but Aragorn did not wait for a response. He continued, his tone filled with fear and sorrow.  
  
"Of course you don't. You do not see them whenever you close your eyes. It is haunting, terrible. They seem so small at first, so tiny and then they grow and grow until they are incredibly large. It would not be so bad if they looked kind but they are upset. They are so angry, and it is all my fault."  
  
The last words were spoken with such despair that Legolas' heart wrenched. He wanted to speak to his friend, to console him but he had no idea what the man was going on about and he doubted that Aragorn would hear him.  
  
Aragorn went on. "They hate me, I think. I know that they will never forgive me. I wish they would for the world is so hard to bear without them; the very least they can do is stop appearing in my dreams, and frightening me. Maybe if I beg them they will go away. Nay, I do not think so. I think they will keep coming, these faces. They will never stop tormenting me."  
  
"Shhh, do not worry yourself so," Legolas soothed. He could not take much more of this. Every word that escaped Aragorn's lips stabbed deep into his heart, like a knife.  
  
"There is one face that sometimes comes that does not bother me. Sometimes it even drives the others away. He is too kind to me. He does not understand or perhaps maybe he does. It does not matter, for he still is my friend. Even after everything he is still my friend. He is a good elf, Legolas Greenleaf. Do you know him?" Aragorn's questioned, unseeing eyes staring upward at the elf.  
  
It took Legolas a moment to realize that the question was directed at him. Choking back tears, he managed to speak. "Aye, I know him."  
  
"He is kind to me." Legolas bit his lip and clutched the ailing man closer to his chest.  
  
"He loves you like a brother, you are his best friend," Legolas said sincerely, hoping that the man would believe him.  
  
"I know," Aragorn mumbled. "He is my friend. He cares for me. I wish he could explain it to them. I wish he could make them understand. But they will never understand no matter who tells them. They do not love me anymore. I wish they would love me again. I wish I could take it back." The ranger's voice choked with tears. "I miss them so much. I miss them all."  
  
"I think I will go talk to them. They may listen better this time. Do you think they shall? I am worried that they won't. I'm afraid they will be angry with me again. Especially Ada, he was furious. I do not want to upset him. I just want him to forgive me. I am so sorry for taking his daughter away. I did not mean to, I did not know. I just....." The hopeless voice trailed off. Aragorn's head lolled against Legolas' chest and the elf knew that the man was unconscious once more. He was almost glad for it because if he had listened to another word of Aragorn's dark soliloquy, he feared that his heart would have broken. Had Aragorn fought with Elrond again? It appeared to be so, and again, Legolas surmised, Arwen was the reason for the outbreak.   
  
Sighing, Legolas swept a piece of dark, sweat soaked hair from his friend's face. "We are almost there, Strider, hang on just a bit longer for me. Valar, please stay with me"  
  
~*~  
  
"I do not know what to do," Elrond muttered, exasperatedly. "I have tried everything. Everything! I have sent messenger hawks, I have sent elves, I have spoken to everyone affiliated with him and not one of them has had word of him nor seen him for months. It is as if he has faded off the face of Arda."  
  
Thranduil threw him a sympathetic look; for the last hour he had watched as the dark haired elf paced back and forth, ranting. It was obvious that he was deeply concerned, no matter how he tried to disguise his worries. 'What would I do in this situation, though?' Thranduil asked himself. 'What if it was my son who was missing?' The king suppressed a shudder at the thought. He wasn't sure if he would be able to bear it.  
  
"Elrond," Thranduil said, "we both know Estel. He is your son and he could very well be mine with as much time as he spends around here. He is probably just trying to escape from the hardships and worries that he has been dealing with as of late. More than likely, he has been sent by Mithrandir to watch over some far off village, or he is simply travelling for enjoyment."  
  
"But it has been months, Thranduil," Elrond whispered, collapsing into a chair across from his friend. "No one has seen him nor heard of him in all this time. I cannot help but fear the worst."  
  
"Iston, mellon nin, Iston but this it is Estel we are talking about, this would not be the first time that he has wandered away causing you no end of worry." Thranduil said, searching for something that would calm Elrond down.  
  
"That is why I am worried," Elrond groaned, resting his head upon his hand. "Most likely he has wandered into danger, maybe even gotten himself killed. What if he is lying somewhere dead, or injured badly? What if he is ill, and he is desperately in need of aid, and cannot find it! Aie! I cannot bear the thought of it." Elrond stared at the floor, gathering his thoughts before he continued. "My heart would break if he was hurt somewhere in the wilderness, while I was sitting in the lap of luxury. It would haunt me forever, if I was well cared for while he was lying injured, and starving. I could never live with myself if the last words I said to him were cruel."  
  
"We all make mistakes, Elrond," Thranduil chastised. "I have made enough of my own to understand. Look at my people, Elrond. I have exiled so many of them that they have started their own village! I have done far worse than you could possibly imagine. You know that I exiled my own daughter when she was barely three hundred. For Valar's sake, Elrond, you were the one who raised her for me to a certain degree. Everyone errs, my friend, but we can make amends for it. Cease your worrying, Estel will return to you unharmed."  
  
Elrond sighed, and rose stood back up once more. Thranduil hoped that the other would not start pacing again. It was making the king dizzy and it only seemed to aggravate Elrond's stress instead of curing it. The Lord of Rivendell walked over to the window and stared down at the courtyard. Leaning his aching head against the window frame, he sighed. A tense silence filled the room, and Thranduil fidgeted in his seat.  
  
"I do not know what to do," Elrond despaired. "He will not return to me unless I speak to him, yet I cannot find him to do so. I need to tell him, and yet I cannot. He either is too angry to talk or he fears what I will say."  
  
"Iston," Thranduil replied softly, his eyes on the bowed shoulders of the half-elf. It almost seemed as though the elf lord's shoulders were trembling, weighted down as they were.  
  
"I fear I have destroyed what remained of our relationship. This situation may not be salvageable. I have never wanted either Estel or Undomiel to be unhappy, yet I do not want to be alone." Elrond clutched the window sill. "I fear do not want to leave all my children to grief when I cross over the sea. The twins have already told me that they do not plan to leave, and now Arwen is in love. I do not wish for them to die miserable deaths. I do not want to be alone."  
  
" You will be with Celebrian, you will not be alone," Thranduil whispered. "You must do as you think. Aragorn and Arwen are both your children and they should obey you."  
  
"Yes, but," Elrond began, grimacing. "I do not want to force them. I feel like the guilty party in all of this. Her face, Thranduil, her face when I told my Undomiel that she could not marry him, that face, it broke my heart."  
  
"A daughter has the ability to bend any father to her will. I have one myself, and I know how they can appear," Thranduil said, smiling.  
  
"I only want for her to be happy," Elrond stated.  
  
"It is what every parent wants for their child," Thranduil replied.  
  
"I don't want to be alone."  
  
"None of us do."  
  
Elrond scowled deeply at his friend. "You are no help!"  
  
"I do not recall saying that I would be!" Thranduil said, a small grin gracing his lips. " I shall tell this to you one last time, Elrond. Do not overly concern yourself about this. Relax. Estel is most likely just fine, off wandering the land. When the time comes, you will know better what to do about this situation him and Arwen."  
  
"I suppose you are right," Elrond mumbled reluctantly, turning back to the window. He peered through the transparent surface, his eyes taking in the area below. "It appears as though your son is back." He observed with disinterest.  
  
Thranduil looked surprised; Legolas was not supposed to be back for another few days. Standing up, he walked over next to his friend. "Does he appear to be injured?"  
  
"Nay, he is walking under his own power, but he is carrying someone." Elrond strained his eyes, attempting to see who was lying in the prince's arms.  
  
"I am surprised he's in one piece," Thranduil commented, watching as his son hurried into the palace. The limp figure he was holding seemed oddly familiar. The build, hidden as it was by the ranger clothing, reminded Thranduil of someone. "It seems he has found a ranger."  
  
Elrond turned sharply, his eyes widening. "How do you know it is a ranger?" Worry deepened his voice.  
  
"Peace Elrond. His cloak is of ranger make." Thranduil did not even have to look at his friend to know what he was thinking. "Do not jump to conclusions this early. Many travellers use these woods, and Legolas would not refuse aid to any in need."  
  
"He would not be in such a hurry if it were any other than Estel," Elrond rationalized, panic ringing in his voice.  
  
"It could just as easily be another ranger!" Thranduil exclaimed, resting a hand on Elrond's shoulder. "Try to calm yourself, Elrond. There is no need for such worry. You are going to give yourself an anxiety attack."  
  
"I am no where near an anxiety attack," Elrond retorted, removing his friend's hand from his shoulder. His whole posture spoke of extreme tension. "I must go to him. I know it is him, Thranduil."  
  
Thranduil sighed softly, knowing that there was no convincing the other elf otherwise. "Go to him then."  
  
Elrond was already out the door.  
  
~*~  
  
'It is not another ranger.' Elrond thought, the instant he saw the limp figure in the prince's arms. He knew it for certain when he ran into the healing chambers, coming to a trembling halt in the doorway. Legolas was hovering over the bed, carefully watching Mirkwood's head healer, Nadeniel, examine the patient. The elder elf was studying the occupant of the bed carefully, a perplexed frown resting upon his face. The healer muttered to himself as he checked over the human in the bed; peeling back his eyelids to gaze at the dilated pupils, testing the patient's temperature, and checking his pulse. Raising his head he caught Legolas' gaze, and inquired of him what had brought the man to such a state; when the younger elf shook his head indicating his ignorance Nadeniel returned his focus to his patient. Neither of the two coherent persons in the room noticed the Lord of Rivendell's arrival.  
  
Elrond wanted to speak. He needed for them to realize that he was there, and eager to help, but all movement had failed him. He stood, petrified, staring at his youngest son lying on the bed. It was not possible. This could not be his Estel, his child, his baby; no, this man was far too old. His skin was that of an older human, tired, and lined with concerns; his hair was greying. The face of this man was a pale white; even his lips were devoid of color. The rosy hues of fever on his cheeks were the only brightness. Every muscle in his body trembled violently.  
  
Nadeniel looked up and let out an exclamation of surprise. Relief flashed across his face. "Lord Elrond! Thank the Valar!"  
  
Legolas looked up at Nadeniel's outburst, a peculiar expression upon his face. Instead of relief he looked almost upset as his eyes roamed the elf lord. After staring unwaveringly at the elf Lord, for several long seconds, Legolas returned his attention to the figure in the bed, whose hand he clasped tightly. 'Does he know?' Elrond thought, as he watched the Silvan elf carefully. 'Or is he simply worried about Estel?'  
  
Nadeniel did not observe this strange tension between the two noble elves, for his patient preoccupied him. "Elrond!" He called, motioning him towards the bed, "You must do something. I cannot find the root of his problems. I recognize both dehydration and malnutrition but I suspect there is some human illness at work as well!"  
  
Elrond stared blankly at the other elf for a few moments, still reeling from his recent cascade of emotions, before snapping into action. The healing instinct within him had awakened with a vengeance, and he rushed over to the bedside. Clasping Estel's cool hand between his own warm ones, he applied the slightest pressure with his fingers, watching the indentations in the skin remain. This confirmed Nadeniel's diagnosis; Estel was badly dehydrated. The malnutrition showed clearly in the human's thin face and frighteningly wasted form. The fever, though, had no apparent cause. Though dehydration caused a mild fever, it could not cause the fever to rage the way it was.  
  
"Legolas, do you know what happened?" Elrond demanded, struggling to figure out what else was wrong. He suspected that there was something else going on inside the human.  
  
Legolas sighed, rubbing his forehead with his free hand. "I found him in the forest leading a strange, gangly creature. He already had a raging fever and could barely speak. While I was bringing him back he became delirious, and not long after that he simply lost consciousness." Legolas indicated the figure in the bed.  
  
Elrond nodded, gently stroking the hair from his son's face. This seemed surreal to him. How could this possibly be Estel? How could his son be so ill? He would have known, surely, if his youngest had fallen ill, why had he not been there to aid him? Why had he said all those unkind words to him that day?  
  
"Do you know what ails him?" Nadeniel asked, his voice laced with worry.  
  
Elrond shook his head, sighing. "Beyond what you have already said, no; he is very ill. We must get some fluids into him and bring down this fever if nothing else."  
  
Nadeniel processed these words and started bustling around, finding the proper herbs and supplies needed. Elrond made no move to help, having eyes and ears only for his son.  
  
"He was talking about you when he was delirious," Legolas said, his voice neutral.  
  
Elrond winced inwardly, wondering what Aragorn had spoken of. "He did?"  
  
"Aye," Legolas confirmed. He picked up one of Estel's hands and held it between his own, deciding not to say anymore. Perhaps Aragorn had been going through memories of the past, and maybe the father and son were on good terms after all. Turning his eyes from Elrond, he stared down at his human friend, willing him to be well.  
  
"What did he say?" Elrond asked, not willing to meet the prince's eyes; afraid that his fears would be obvious.  
  
Legolas' tone was emotionless. "He was asking for forgiveness for loving Arwen. He was begging for you to love him still; to understand that he never meant to hurt anyone."  
  
Elrond was positive that an arrow had been shot into his chest, and struck his heart. 'Aragorn was begging for forgiveness for loving Arwen? Aie! How could I have possibly done this to him?' the elven lord lamented silently. 'Now they both fear me.'  
  
"I am hoping," Legolas continued softly, anger slowly creeping into his voice. "That perhaps this was from a past argument." It was quite obvious that it was not; guilt and grief lined Elrond's face like wrinkles.  
  
"I-" Elrond began but stopped suddenly as Nadeniel reappeared, several concoctions prepared as well as a wide variety of herbs that could be of use. He carefully set them down on the table, and took the nearest potion in his hand, giving it to Elrond.  
  
"This should settle his stomach enough for him to take water and food," Nadeniel said quickly.  
  
Elrond nodded, giving the other elf a grateful look. "Thank you, Nadeniel." Lifting Estel up by his shoulders, the elf lord let his son's head rest against his chest and pressed the cup with the healing liquid to the fevered human's lips. "Drink, nin ion."  
  
Estel moaned softly, turning his head away, doing his best to avoid sipping the vile tasting substance. Delirium still had a firm grasp upon his mind and he wandered through nightmares and memories, each more terrifying than the last. Instead of realizing that the bitter dram was meant to help him, he believed he was being forced to drink some evil orc poison. A memory from long ago was being relived, and instead of hearing his father's soothing words, he heard black speech and saw a hideous face leering down at him. A dark flask was violently pressed to his lips, and a deadly poison was being poured into him. He struggled, and spat, trying to keep the liquid from running down his throat. No, he knew what happened if he ingested the foul drink. He would become ill, deadly ill and there was no one to save him.  
  
Elrond nearly dropped the cup when Aragorn began to thrash. He did not expect such a violent reaction to the solution, and he caught was completely unprepared. Legolas shot into action, grabbing his friend's arms and speaking quickly in high elven. Meanwhile, Elrond regained his grasp on the cup, and wrapped his free arm around Estel's chest.  
  
"Shh, shhh, my child, it is alright," Elrond whispered softly in the struggling man's ear. "You are fine. Do not worry, just relax. I am here, and I will let no harm come to you."  
  
Aragorn slowly began to calm, the tension in his muscles releasing. A small whimper escaped chapped lips as the man once again gave in to his feverish dreams. Elrond winced, his heart aching for his youngest. Hoping that the edan would respond better this time, he tried giving Estel the potion once more. The medicine slowly trickled into the human's mouth, and he swallowed without protest. Elrond could not hold back a sigh of relief, and slowly as he could, he helped the human empty the glass. Aragorn did not stir in the least during the process, the slow rise of his chest the only proof that he still lived.  
  
"What other herbs do you have?" the Lord of Rivendell asked, setting down the now empty cup and studying the various herbs that were skewed across the table.  
  
"Anything you need," Nadeniel replied softly. "Hopefully that potion will settle his stomach enough for him to take them."  
  
Elrond nodded in agreement, gently easing Estel's limp body back onto the pillows. Standing, he began to shift through the dried plants, looking for something that would be of use to him, though he knew that there was very little that he could do. It all depended on Aragorn's strength from this point forward. Dehydration was not like a poison, no herbs could heal it.  
  
Legolas took his friend's hand in his own and held it tightly. He was desperately worried for his friend but somehow he knew that Aragorn was going to be fine. The man had proved himself over the years, and it seemed unlikely that he would die from something simple like dehydration. After all the times he had been poisoned, fatally wounded, and ill, Legolas just couldn't see the logic in losing Estel to anything except old age. The human had even survived the poison Elrond had called 'Gwanath Annaeth', which had the ability to make humans die from grief. 'No,' Legolas thought, 'Aragorn will not die from this. He's too tough for it.' A small smile flitted across his lips, and he let himself relax a little bit.  
  
Things would get better.  
  
They had to.  
  
~*~  
  
The stars outside were covered by clouds, and an ominous wind was blowing outside. Lord Elrond listened to it, noting how the storm was reflecting his own mood at the moment. Gently, he placed the back of his hand against his youngest son's face, wincing at the burning heat. With extreme caution, he dipped a clothe into a bowl of hot water that gave off the soothing but familiar smell of athelas. He gently wiped Aragorn's brow with it, willing the herb to bring down the fever and cure his son. He wanted a miracle, and at the moment, a miracle was what seemed to be needed.  
  
Even with the stomach settling herbs in him, Aragorn could not keep down water. Everything that the three elves had coaxed into him, he had retched up not to long after. The problem was the human was in desperate need of liquids; if he didn't get them he would die without question. Elrond sighed, dabbing Estel's cracked lips with the herb laden towel. Dehydration was bad enough and with malnutrition it could be deadly. 'If only Estel was only dealing with those two,' the elf lord thought sadly.  
  
He knew what else was ailing Aragorn, though he did not tell Nadeniel or Legolas. Legolas was likely to maim him, and Nadeniel would be too confused to do a thing about it. 'This is my entire fault,' Elrond mourned. 'We would have a chance to save him if it were not for me. The poison would still be dormant if I had not spoken so harshly.' But regrets would not heal the effects of Gwanath Annaeth.  
  
Aragorn stirred, his eyes opening up to thin slits, and he stared up at his father; there was no recognition in the illness laden gaze. Elrond gave him a kind smile, gently smoothing some of the human's hair from his face. Aragorn blinked, his lips moving slowly as though he was trying to speak. Pressing a finger against the struggling man's lips, Elrond attempted to hush him.  
  
"Easy, Estel, you are very ill. Do not speak, just rest," the elf soothed, his voice trembling. What if this was the last time Aragorn would wake up? There was so much he had to say to the man, and yet, he could say nothing now.  
  
"Ada......." Aragorn whispered thickly. "Ada......I am......." His face screwed up, and he swallowed hard. .....sorry."  
  
Elrond jerked back, stunned. Did Aragorn really recognize him?  
  
"I.......I did not mean.......to steal her a......away.........from you........" the man choked out. "I........."  
  
"You are already forgiven, nin ion, a thousand times over," Elrond said softly. Tears were gathering in his eyes, threatening to spill out.  
  
"I....I....please.......please do not.......go......I did not........" A sob escaped his lips, and his eyes closed tightly. "I......understand.....was......wrong........please.......please forg- give......me......do not turn......away.....I.....please.....forgive...."  
  
Elrond knew that Aragorn was delirious now, but it didn't seem to matter. Every word the man tore chunks out of his heart, and not a word the elf lord said seemed to matter. His son, his youngest son, was trapped in a nightmarish world that he could not be freed from. Unconscious to the tears cascading down his face, he sat down on the edge of the bed and gathered Estel into his arms. Pressing his forehead against the human's dark hair, he mumbled words of comfort, trying to block out his child's begging voice.  
  
"I.....I know......she.......wouldn't die.......of grief........she loves........you and her mother m-more.......than she would e.......ever love me........" Aragorn sobbed out softly. "I.......you......are......right.....my.....love....is......selfish.....she deserves better......"  
  
"She could never have better than you," Elrond said, grief lining his voice.  
  
"I am.......mortal......you are.........right.....again......what.......happens w-when....I die? W- where......will.......sh-she.......go?"  
  
"You said it yourself, Aragorn. She will have your children," Elrond answered, willing the man to hear him.  
  
"I.....please.....listen to.....m-me...take......her......with you......sh- she'll be happier w-with.......y-you and Celebrian.......I w-want her t-to be happy......."  
  
"She is happy with you. She loves you," Elrond cried, clinging to the man all the tighter, fearing that if he loosened his grip that Estel's spirit would flee.  
  
"N-no........Ada......don't turn your b-back....I promise....I will not....change my mind........I promise.....I will not stop....you......when....the time....c-comes....."  
  
"The time will not come, Estel," Elrond said, "I know where Arwen belongs, and she will only be truly happy with you."  
  
"P-please......father......Elrond......p-please......." Aragorn murmured, and his mind wandered back into unconsciousness once more. The room fell silent once more, and the sounds of the storm outside invaded the area.  
  
Hands trembling with grief and fear, Elrond pressed his fingers against Aragorn's neck. A weak pulse gratified him, but the terrible ache in his heart did not fade. Sobbing softly, he pressed his face into Aragorn's hair, feeling more helpless than he had in nearly sixty years.  
  
~*~  
  
TBC........  
  
~*~  
  
I promise that there will be some Gollum in the next chapter!  
  
To my reviewers:  
  
shirebound- Isn't it surprising how easily you can get into a story ^__^. Poor Legolas, poor Elrond, poor Aragorn! ^_^ Life just never seems to give them a break! Mwahaha, thank you so much for your review! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the last one!  
  
xsilicax- It's up! It's up! It's up! Mwahahaha, I got it up, Cathy, you should be proud of me! See! I posted! ^_^ EEEE! LoL! Now, the deal for the next chapter is that you have to post another chapter of RLs for me to post another chapter of this. Doesn't mean I won't post another chapter of TMaaTB during that period, but *scowls* I refuse to post more until YOU tell me what has happened to my poor Estel baby! *gives Cathy an extra big hug and several Estel and Legolas and Elrond plushies* Thank you so much for all your help, mellon nin. I never could have gotten this chapter up without you. Of course, thank you for the review as well!  
  
KumQuat- *cowers under this evil glare* I sorry it took so long! But it's up now! See! You have more now! LoL! Thanks for the review! Hope you liked the chapter!  
  
Sue- ^_^ I have a plan for poor old Aragorn and Sméagol for next chapter. Poor Aragorn, poor Sméagol. *grins evilly* Mwahahahahahahaha......I dunno if the voice is my idea or not, or if I ended up reading it somewhere and enjoying the thought of it. Really, that's all the Gollum side of Sméagol's personality is. A voice in his head that's quite controlling. Hehe, I enjoyed writing that strange little part with Legolas and his friends. One of the more fun parts of this story. ^_^ Thank you so much for the review!  
  
Kaeera- I would like to argue about the beautiful sound of Italian. I sit through that darned class everyday and let me tell you, the most beautiful thing I've heard all year was the sound of my teacher getting fed up with my class. LoL. That happens....well....everyday but still, it's the truth! LoL. I love your Elrohir story by the way! It's great! Much Elrohir angst and general torture all around! You are so good at it! Hyper? Hyper? How could you possibly have thought of reviewing my story hyper? : P LoL! It's more fun that way! Do it often! LoL. As you can see, Aragorn is in a nice hallucinating state. I had to do it, *rubs hands together evilly* I've taken to torturing Elrond too now, so a delirious Aragorn pleading with him seemed like such a good idea! Insanity is bliss as they say, so I wouldn't mull over it *giggles*. ^_^ Thank you for the strange review! I like strange reviews! ^_~  
  
Ciria- AH! Another hyper active sugar person! *hides* No.....I am being overrun! *grins* ^_^ I love it! Two? I said two last time? I think it may be more than that, mellon nin! ^_^ It got suddenly very long for some reason that I cannot understand! Your reviews are never boring, in fact, they are a lot of fun to respond to! What is wrong with Aragorn? Well, we know now don't we? Dehydration is not a fun thing, and the poison well *innocent look* is a completely different story. Literally. ^_~ Ah, unfortunately there was no Saelmin or Bellmaethor or Sméagol for that matter in this chapter. *grins* But there shall be next chapter; which I promise to be slightly more humorous than this one. Let's just say Saelmin and Bellmaethor probably couldn't watch a worm, much less Gollum. ^_^ Thanks for the insane and yet fun review! Mwahahaha, I think I will get the next chapter up soon.  
  
HobbitsRFun- ^_^ Here is more, mellon nin! It took me forever but it is now going to be posted. Ages, eras, elves have passed since I last posted but it is here! It is HERE! Mwahahaha! Woah....shouldn't have had that candy bar! Sorry there was no Sméagol in this chapter. There will be next chapter, scouts honor; in fact, he may be the only thing in the next chapter. Now, now, you've never seen Bellmaethor or Saelmin. You never know, they may be better looking than our dear elven prince. ^_~ Just kidding! Thanks for the review mellon nin!  
  
Lady FoxFire- Weeee likeeesss the reeevvvieewwwww, preccccciouuuussss. Weee seee moreee Smeagggolll next chapter, yes, precious? Weee thanks you forrr the revieewwwsieeess.  
  
Nili- *grins* Yes, Elladan, Elrohir, you best not insult an authoress who will throw you off a cliff before you can say 'ouch'! lol! I'm sure you could characterize Gollum just fine! :P All you have to do is make one side huggable and the other side nuts; make sure the one side says 'preciouuusss' a lot as well! *grins* You do a VERY good job with certain elves and men. You are an EXCELLENT author :P better than me by a ton. Ah, Sellamloth! ^_^ Little Flower! She was created for another purpose, but I suppose *innocent grin* I will simply have to rename her. She WAS going to be Legolas' sister but since she has been made his friend in this, I suppose I will simply have to rename Legolas' sister. *sighs* That's another story however! Mwahahahahahahaha! Yes, poor, poor Aragorn! Things have only gotten worse for him eh? *laughs evilly* No one can help him now! *ducks blunt objects and runs* THANKS FOR THE REVIEW!  
  
Carrie- *bounces with Carrie* ^_^ Thank you so much for reviewing even though you got a sneak preview! Wahahahahahaha, I do believe I reviewed remember *sobs* I cry thinking about it! It was wonderful though ^_~. Yup, Aragorn is in VERY good hands. Mwahahaha, Elrond's hands in fact, but even the best of hands cannot heal a person sometimes. *grins evilly* Even the strongest of people can be broken......... *runs from threats and other things that are being thrown at her* ^_^ Thanks again for the review! MEEP!  
  
Kawaii BlueBear- Aragorn appreciated the chicken soup but unfortunately it did not seem to make him any better. *sighs and scratches her head* I do not know what to do with this man, he just can never stay well! ^_~ Thanks for the review!!  
  
Alilacia- MAE GOVANNEN! ^_^ Excuses, excuses for not reviewing! Tsk, tsk! : P LoL! You are long since forgiven, mellon nin. After all, it's taken me months to get another chapter of this up! But guess what?! It's done, it's done, it's done! Mwahahahahahaha! LOL! I was gushing over Aragorn the entire time. The fourth or fifth time I went, I was with a good friend of mine, and every time Aragorn ran across the screen, I squealed and pointed and went rather crazy. By the end of the movie, the boy next to me was poking me continually....I think that was his way of saying shut up. Glad you liked the last chapter so much! ^_^ Hope you liked this one too.....for as long as it took to write! I was trying to show Sméagol's good side and show that nothing is PURELY evil ('cept the devil and Sauron and my Theology teacher but that's a different story). You liked Bellmaethor and Saelmin? Well, we shall see more of them next chapter.....and more Gollum! Hope that your giving blood went well *sweatdrops* and that you didn't pass out! ^_^ I'll shut up now! (thanks for the review)!  
  
Emmithar- Ew, well, I'm glad your better (and have been for a while now ^_~). Aw, I like the short reviews as much as the long reviews! Confirmation of love of a story is a good thing! Mwahahahaha! ^_^ I love your stories! DO NOT be putting yourself down! I think that they are great *nods to self* yes, excellent! *laughs* I hope your band concert went well! WHERE IS THE NEXT CHAPTER OF YOUR STORY!!! *whines* I want it nowwww! *whines* I posted, tomorrow is my birthday, and I INISIST on a chapter from you *scowls* : P lol! It took me forever to understand the timeline thing in PT but I finally got it down and went back and reread the entire story! It worked out well! Legolas is an overall stupid elf, you can't blame him for not recognizing Aragorn. Technically, he would not have seen him for quite some time, not to mention illness, aging, cloaks, strange gangly creatures! Well, all I can say, is after the next chapter Saelmin and Bellmaethor will REALLY want to kill our dear friend Gollum. ^_~ But that's in the future isn't it! ^_^ Thanks for the review! Take care!  
  
Freakizimi- Yeah, I always thought that Gollum would make a great pet or teddy bear or something; then I remembered the whole homicidal sort of 'I- eat-fish-raw-and-worship-Sauron' side of him and thought it to be best to keep him where he was! ^_^ Thanks for the review! Reviews are great mellon nin! Wahahahahaha! Poor Aragorn!  
  
Lily Frost- Li-chan get her chapter, yes? Li-chan like? Li-chan give TIO nice review, and TIO is very happy ^_^ Li-chan review again? Yes? No? ^_^  
  
Lina Skye- ^_^ I gots another chapter up so where's your chapter? HMMM? Me wants more! See your Estel is dying......well, kinda at least! Hope you did well on your audition!!! ^__^ Me demands more of the story, and perhaps I will post again! ^_~ LoL! *hugs* Thanks for the review mellon nin!  
  
Elladan- ^_^ You reviewed! It's okay that it took time! You reviewed! I am happy and content cause you reviewed! *grins and bounces* I posted! I posted! See! It's up! ^_^ Thanks for the review! Hope you enjoyed the chappie!  
  
Snicks- *stares at* Do I....know you? *looks oddly confused* You had no school or I had no school or we both had no school...... x_x I'm so lost! Glad your cold isn't getting worse! ^_^ Insanity is bliss as they say! *mwahahaha* ^_^ Thanks for the most wonderful (and a bit confusing) review!  
  
crazy/evil- ^_^ It's posted! Thanks for the review!  
  
Amia- ^_^ Thanks for the compliments! I try! Sorry it took so long to post! This chapter was a tough little thing! Thanks for the review! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!  
  
HaloGatomon- You're just running from Lina? After what you did to Legolas? AFTER WHAT YOU DID TO ESTEL?! *runs after Halo with a sharpie* COME BACK HERE! *sniffles* Where is my next chappie? *puppy dog eyes* More please? We wannnttsss your storrrryyy, weeee neeeddssss ittttt, preccciouusss!!! ^_^ Thankee for the review!  
  
Sue- Neglect studies for writing? ME? Never!.....woah.....this is your second review! LoL ^_^ Thanks!  
  
marbienl- Mwah! I enjoy torturing Aragorn and Legolas and Elrond for that matter! There will be plenty of Smeagol next chapter! *evil grin* A humorous chapter too ^_^! Thanks so much for the review! Mwahahahahahaha!  
  
Sigil- Many people seemed to like that line! *giggles* I dunno why! I guess it's rather amusing! Thanks for the review!  
  
Lady Jaina- He's gonna die! *ducks objects* OKAY MAYBE NOT! *runs* He may get better! Who knows! *giggles* Thanks for the review!  
  
tbiris- Poor Aragorn! Poor Smeagol! *evil laughter* Mwahahaha, I enjoyed writing this and I enjoyed your review! Thank ye very much so, oh kind one! ^_^ Hope you liked this chapter too!  
  
Lauriena- Tis not done! Mwahahaha, still more to go! Thanks for the review!  
  
staran- ^_^ More of it! Though not as soon as I would have liked! Thanks very much for the review!  
  
crazy/evil- ^_^ You already have but I enjoyed the second review as much as the first! Reviews brighten up my day! ^_^ Thankkeeee!  
  
Thorn Rose- ^_^ Sorry it took so long! It's up now though! Thanks for the review!  
  
tychen- So, you liked "It Could Be Worse...." too? That was a strange little fic that was simply a spur of the moment thing! Just ask Arien about it! She received about thirty six hand written pages (really eighteen cause I do front and back) and then she had to beta it after it was revised! LoL! ^_^ Thanks for the compliments! I feel so loved! ^_^ They brighten my day up! Thanks a lot for the review and I'm sorry for the wait!  
  
Lavender of the Shire- ^_^ Thanks for the compliments! It's up! ^_^ Sorry it took so long! Thanks for the review as well!  
  
krisnkriss- ^_^ You like it? ^_^ YAY! Thanks for the compliments! They go such a long way! They make me want to post and send me on a terrible guilt trip! ^_^ Hope you liked this chapter too!  
  
Good, bad? Another chapter? Aye, there will be......^_^ soon even! 


	4. Inside the Beast

Inside the Beast  
  
By tHe InSaNe OnE  
  
AN- ^_^ It's up....really, this is a chapter and as for the epilogue, well, I'm hoping within the week. *crosses fingers* It all depends on school workload.  
  
I am not going to make excuses because there are none worth telling. I just want to apologize for making all sixty plus of you wait. It really makes me feel guilty. You all are great reviewers, especially those of you who nagged me to death about getting it up. Well you have what you want! ^_^ I hope you like it.  
  
There are no review responses at the bottom of this chapter *dodges reviewers* Yes, I've read every single one of your wonderful reviews and enjoyed them immensely, however, I don't think you remember what you said five months ago. Therefore, I will thank you *bows* and respond *g* to all your reviews for this chapter. I promise....  
  
*sobs* Please forgive me.  
  
This is especially dedicated to Helen T who would not leave me alone and generally bugged me everyday. Thanks for your prodding, poking, whining, smacking, eye rolls, yelling and well, just everything. This wouldn't be up without you.  
  
^_^ Many thanks to my beta Arien..... who is betaing this chapter as we speak but ^_^ I'm posting. I want this up now....  
  
So read and enjoy folks.....one last chapter/epilogue (I'm not sure which yet).  
  
~*~  
  
They had dragged him.  
  
The man had been so ill that one of the elves had put him on a horse, and left with him straight off. That meant Sméagol had been left with the other two elves. He had cowered, and whimpered, and had acted over all pathetic as they tried to decide how to transport him to the palace; however, none of the acting had worked. They did not let him up on one of their horses.  
  
They had dragged him behind the horses.  
  
He hated elves. Elves were creatures he had always disliked but the dislike was growing to full blown hatred. They not only dragged him behind a horse, but also had wrapped another rope around his neck. The rope had burned, and his feet and hands had been cut from running too fast; and eventually, he acquired cuts from being dragged after he could no longer run.  
  
He hated elves.  
  
When they had finally reached the palace, the elves had stopped their horses and started conversing about what they should do with him. They did not want to leave him on his own for they did not trust him, but they also did not want to be near him. They decided to take him to the sword training area, and tie him to a post. Then, they sat down as far away as they could, and waited.  
  
From the bit of conversation Sméagol had picked up, he apparently smelled bad.  
  
That wasn't his fault, now was it?  
  
So, Sméagol sat, tugging at the rope and staring at the elves. He could not tell if the elves realized he was watching them or not, but he decided if they did know, they would be more on guard. They were always so tense when he watched them.  
  
"Ssstupid, elvesssess," Sméagol moaned, pulling at the rope. "Evil, nasssty elvessess."  
  
"Sssmeagol?"  
  
Sméagol twitched slightly as the voice started to speak to him again. As much as he hated the elves, he truly did not want to speak to the voice. The voice would do something bad, something terribly awful. Then the elves would be very angry and they would hurt him.  
  
"Leave me alone," Sméagol sniffed, giving up on the rope for the moment.  
  
"What isss wrong with Sssmeagol?" the voice cooed, petting his head.  
  
Sméagol wanted to resist but the voice was being kind. He was desperate for kindness at the moment. More than anything else, he wanted some sort of comfort or advice. He wanted someone to sympathize with him, to hate the elves with him and to despise the man for leaving him. But wait, who was thinking these thoughts? Was it him? No, those thoughts sounded too much like something the voice would ponder.  
  
"Elveses," Sméagol whimpered, giving in to the voice.  
  
"There, there, precioousss," the voice soothed, stroking his head and face. Patting him on the face, it continued. "Weess will essscape and wees will ssshow them."  
  
"They dragged us," Sméagol said, fiddling once more with the rope.  
  
"We knows precciouuss," the voice whispered. "We iss ssssoorrry."  
  
"They did not feed us," Sméagol whined, his stomach growling to prove his point.  
  
"Wees will escape, Ssmeagol, we willsss," the voice comforted one last time, in its own evil way. Then it left once more, for the elves were approaching.  
  
Bellmaethor looked at Sméagol with vague curiosity, carefully keeping a good five feet between himself and the creature. If it was possible, the beast look more pitiful than it did when they had first discovered it. It was cut, though most of the scrapes were minor and already scabbed over. Large golden eyes were filled with tears and self pity; but there was something else there too that made the elf a bit uncomfortable.  
  
"What should we do with it?" Saelmin questioned, as he too stared at Sméagol. Prince Legolas had given the both of them firm orders to watch the 'thing' and make sure it didn't escape.  
  
"I don't know," Bellmaethor answered, sitting back on his heals. A frown graced his fair face. "He sure looks awful, doesn't he?"  
  
Saelmin worried at his chin. "Aye, he could stand a good meal or two." He met Bellmaethor's eyes and his entire attitude towards the situation changed nearly immediately. "Oh no- no! We are not going to keep it! Don't you dare become attached to it!"  
  
"But Saelmin, mellon nin!" Bellmaethor exclaimed. "Look at it; it needs love and care. Please!"  
  
Sméagol watched the one elf with the dark hair plead with his companion. This could be used to his advantage. The sympathy; the compassion. It almost appeared as though the elf pitied him. Grinning to himself, he put on his most sorrowful, underfed, unloved face.  
  
"I am hungry," he sniffed, giving the dark haired elf large, innocent eyes.  
  
Bellmaethor looked at him kindly. Though he had not been sure of the creature at first, he was sure with a bit of love and care, the beast would not be half as bad as he seemed. When he was a child, he had the tendency to pick up animals; wargs, spiders, squirrels, and anything else he came across that needed help. He, Saelmin and the prince had caused a lot of trouble bringing such creatures around and in the palace. Bellmaethor could not help but wince as he remembered what had happened when they had brought the warg puppy back.  
  
"Well," Bellmaethor said, standing up and edging around Gollum. His pity for the beast only reached so far, and he wasn't sure he would allow it very close to him yet. "We'll feed you then."  
  
Saelmin immediately started to protest. "But, mellon nin-"  
  
"Oh come now, Saelmin!" Bellmaethor said with a grin, untying the rope from the post and wrapping it around his hand. "We can just take him down to the stream just outside the palace walls, and then, we can feed him something. It will not hurt a thing."  
  
Saelmin's expression clearly stated 'why did the Valar do this to me' but letting out a sigh, he silently agreed. There was no way he could argue his way out of this. When Bellmaethor decided he was going to help an animal or some sort of creature, there was no stopping him. 'Perhaps that is why he has such trouble fighting orcs' Saelmin thought, as he followed Bellmaethor and the beast, one hand on his sword. 'His heart is too soft.'  
  
Having a soft heart could prove fatal.  
  
Bellmaethor did not even realize that his friend was on guard as he gently led the strange creature out to the stream. He had never seen anything quite like it. Its thin, scraggly appearance seemed to be like a human's or an elf's though it was smaller. Everything else about it though, seemed rather unnatural. From its skin tone, to its large golden eyes, everything seemed a bit morphed. 'I wonder what it is' the elf thought, scanning the creature. 'Or maybe, what it was....'  
  
The stream was quick moving and the water was cool and clear. It was nicely refreshing, and Bellmaethor knew it would be perfect for this strange animal to clean itself off in and for it to get a drink from. Then they could feed it, tie it back up and go inside. After all, the sun was starting to set and it was getting late.  
  
"Here you go," the dark haired elf said to Sméagol, giving the creature enough leeway to go into the stream.  
  
Sméagol looked at the elf with clear distrust. Was this some sort of trick? Was the water filled with elf magic? Well, he would take his chances. This particular elf seemed too kind to actually want to harm him. Tentatively, Sméagol put a hand into the water. Nothing happened; he was not eaten or possessed by anything. Deserting caution completely, Sméagol splashed into the water. The stream soothed the cuts on his skin, and the mild sunburn he had from travelling during the day. Letting out a sigh, he flattened himself onto the bottom of the stream so only his eyes and nose were above the water.  
  
Saelmin came up next to Bellmaethor, his lips pursed. Every time he glanced at the creature that Bellmaethor was becoming fond of, he saw the evil glint in those eyes. Something about this beast was simply not right. From the very way it looked, down to the soul Saelmin could see through those large golden orbs, there was corruption. This creature was not the way it had been when it was born. Something had changed it.  
  
"Saelmin, do you have some lembas?" Bellmaethor's question snapped the blonde warrior out of his thoughts.  
  
"Aye, a bit," Saelmin said, reaching down into one of his pockets and pulling out a half eaten wafer.  
  
Bellmaethor took it from him, smiling to himself as he watched the creature in the water. Now, a bit of food for it and then back to the post; he and Saelmin could have someone else watch it while they cleaned up and rested a bit. Tugging a bit on the rope to get Smeagol's attention, he held out the waver of bread.  
  
"Are you still hungry?" the elf called to the beast. Sméagol's head jerked up and he looked at the elf curiously. Crawling slowly towards him, he sniffed the bread in the elf's hand.  
  
"Nasssty elf bread," he whined, backing away. "We do not likesss the nasssty elf bread."  
  
Bellmaethor continued holding out the bread anyway. "Come now," he coaxed. "Tis not that bad, little one. It will fill you right up."  
  
Sméagol only moved further away from Bellmaethor. He could escape now, while the elf was off guard. The voice was speaking to him, gently prodding him on in his head. He could get away, and then, he could have his revenge. He could get back at the man for leaving him here in this mess. Yes, the voice was right. The man didn't really care. He should have taken care of the man when he had the chance. Now, he was stuck here with these elves. Wait, this sounded too much like the voice, not him. Was he the voice?  
  
His ponderings were stopped nearly immediately as the dark hair elf stepped into the stream. The elf came scarily close and Sméagol instinctively backed away. The fair being's nose wrinkled and he stepped back looking slightly displeased.  
  
"Saelmin," Bellmaethor said, turning to his friend. Saelmin went on guard as soon as he saw his friend's imploring gaze.  
  
"What is it?" the elf asked, his hand still clutching the hilt of his sword.  
  
"Do you think you could fetch some soap and maybe, I don't know, some fruit and cheese and a bit of mea-"  
  
"No!" Saelmin nearly shouted, cutting his friend off. "No! No! No! We are not going to bathe this thing! I allowed you to bring it down here so it could get a drink and clean itself. I let you offer it food as well! If it was hungry enough it would eat the lembas! I am not going to fetch food for it like some sort of servant! It's clean enough! Let's take it back, tie it up, find someone to watch it and REST!"  
  
Bellmaethor had practiced the art of giving large, green puppy dog eyes for many, many years. Putting the technique to use, he stared at Saelmin imploringly, begging his friend to understand. When Saelmin's face remained the same, the elf sighed and hung his head.  
  
"Okay then.....I will go get something for it," Bellmaethor sniffed, brushing a loose strand of his brown hair from his face. Shoving the guide rope into Saelmin's hands, he shook the water off his boots. "But that means you shall wait here with it."  
  
Saelmin's silver eyes were glowing dangerously. Resisting the urge to smash his head into the nearest tree, he drew his sword and held it tightly in his hand, clinging to the rope in his other. "Did anything I just said get through to you?"  
  
Bellmaethor smiled innocently, starting back towards the castle. "I'll be back in five minutes. Just stand with him. He'll be just fine relaxing where he is." Pausing for a moment, he finished up by saying firmly, "And don't threaten him or scare him. If you bait him, he might attack." With that, he slipped back into the walls surrounding the castle courtyard.  
  
"Bait him......me? I do not need to bait him....." Saelmin mumbled, yanking on the elven cord, to make sure it was secure. The back of his mind told him that the creature was not going anywhere, and he shifted uneasily as the large golden eyes focused on him. A dark intention was clear there, and a shiver went down his spine.  
  
From his place in the river, the voice smirked. Sméagol was fully his now, his moral sense no longer resisting against the voice's dark ambitions. Crawling slowly towards the bank, the morphed hobbit waited for a second, keeping its large orb eyes focused on the blond elf. Then, with very little warning, it struck.  
  
~*~  
  
The storm had settled upon Mirkwood with a vengeance. Torrents of rain soaked the ground, covering the grass with small rivers and making the brook overflow. The wind blew fiercely, snapping small saplings, dragging branches off of trees. Lightning lit up even the darkest areas of the forest and thunder roared so loudly that the entire palace seemed to shake. Not one person was outside any longer.  
  
When the creature had escaped, there had been mayhem. Everyone searched for it, looking nearly everywhere but Sméagol was good at hiding. That and he was good at hunting. They were two talents that he was rather proud of and now was putting to use. Hiding in the bowels of a hollow tree, he awaited until the storm was at its worst before emerging.  
  
The blond elf had not been easily taken down. A stinging cut across Sméagol's face attested to that. He scowled darkly as he recalled wrestling the blade from the elf's hand and then knocking it unconscious. Though it had been tempting to kill it, he had not had the time and had fled the scene; not with out a trinket though. In his teeth, he now held a dagger that he had stolen off of the unconscious elf's body. It was going to be put to good use.  
  
Slinking through the tree branches, he nimbly avoided debris that was being blown around by the wind. He knew that the man was in one of the many rooms that he could see, and he was determined to find that room. The bit of him that liked the man had been thoroughly destroyed, leaving only a deep bitterness. The man had brought him here, and left him with the awful, nasty elves. The man had never really cared about him.  
  
Letting the angry feelings fuel him, Sméagol continued prowling the trees, searching for the proper room. The night was growing older and there were very few windows still lit up. Something inside of him told him that the man would be in a room with a lit window, so he skipped the darkened ones. He could not linger, for once the storm was gone so was his cover. He would have to make his revenge swift.  
  
The first lighted window proved to not be the man's and the second was not either. Sméagol felt frustration joining the swirling emotions within him. The rain was biting at him and every once in a while, a sharp twig would slap him. He was cold, hungry and hurting, and along with the irritation in not being able to find the man, he was starting to become overwhelmed.  
  
The third window glowed brightly and hopefully for the lanky creature, and it pressed its face against the glass pane. Though the rain smudged the window, his large eyes could make out what was in there. An elf with dark hair was sitting on the bed, resting against the back board. In his arms, he held the man. Sméagol noted that the elf's face was stained with tears and he looked terribly distraught about something. The man in his arms seemed very unaware of it all, his face pale and still.  
  
Sméagol squatted low on the windowsill pondering his options. He wasn't sure if he could take both the elf and the man at the same time. Even with the man weakened by illness, he could still easily overpower the corrupted being. Sighing in a disgruntled fashion, the creature waited to see if the elf would leave. The knife in his mouth glistened slightly, reflecting the brightly burning fire within. Oh what he would do to be in front of that fire and warming himself.  
  
Time seemed to pass very slowly for Sméagol. Very little seemed to change in the room, and the elf only moved to tenderly stroke the man's face, or to wipe the man's forehead with a cloth. Sméagol was beginning to despair when finally, something happened. The elf gently removed the man from his lap and settled him back on the bed, wrapping several blankets around him. Kissing the man's forehead, the elf silently departed the room.  
  
Sméagol couldn't believe his luck but spent no time pondering it. He slowly worked the window and managed to open it. He sneaked into the room soundlessly, eyeing everything around him with utter suspicion. Anything in an elven home could attack and be an enemy. He had to be on his guard. Making his way towards the bed, he prepared to strike the unaware person who rested in it.  
  
~*~  
  
Legolas rubbed his eyes wearily, not being able to remember the last time he had had such a trying day. Between finding Estel half alive and the escape of the creature, he was incredibly over stimulated. A pounding headache was eating away at him and exhaustion was making him feel heavy. The healers in the other room had just reassured him that Saelmin, despite his numerous injuries, would be just fine. In fact, the blond elf had been yelling at Bellmaethor when the prince had departed. He couldn't help but take that as a good sign.  
  
Now he wanted to go to bed. He wanted to flop down onto his soft, feather mattress and sleep until the world ended. However, his mind and heart would not let him yet. He could not rest peacefully until he knew more of Aragorn's condition. When he had left, the fever had been raging and the man had been simply deteriorating. If that was still the case, then the prince knew, even as tired as he was, that he would find no sleep.  
  
A sigh escaped him as he trudged down the hall towards the room where he had left Estel and Lord Elrond. Though he knew that the elf lord and the man had fought in the past, he could see that Elrond was terribly concerned for his son. Any feeling of anger towards the elf lord had long since melted away. After all, such emotions were no help in such a dire situation. Right now all that mattered was Estel's getting better.  
  
He was nearly to the room when he saw Elrond coming towards him. The elf lord was a mess. His long, ebony hair was a tangled knot upon his head and his eyes were glazed with fear and exhaustion. His face was stained with what appeared to be tears, which made Legolas' heart twist. Was Estel gone already? Was the elf lord coming to inform him of the man's demise? The rumpled appearance of the elf was enough to confirm it.  
  
"My lord," the blond greeted cautiously as the half elf stopped before him.  
  
"Prince Legolas," Elrond replied formally, his voice rather hoarse. "I thought you would be asleep by now...."  
  
Legolas grimaced, once again the image of a warm bed with a cosy fire flashed through his mind. He pushed it away though. "I would be, my lord, but unfortunately since your son's arrival, the entire house has been in an uproar." His lips twitched into a smile. "Estel has a way of causing such things."  
  
Elrond's face lightened slightly. "Aye, he does. Is there anything I can help with?"  
  
"No," Legolas said, with a shake of his head. "All you need to do is make Estel better. My father and I will worry about the recapture of the creature Estel brought."  
  
Elrond stared at Legolas for a moment. The creature had escaped? No! Not after Estel had driven himself to the point of death to bring it here! How could Legolas' guard been so irresponsible. Elrond swallowed his anger and muttered rather dully, "It has escaped?"  
  
Legolas nodded, seeing the upset look in the others eyes. "He attacked the guard that was watching him, and knocked him unconscious. He can't have gotten far in this storm, and as soon as it quiets, be assured that our best hunting parties will be searching for him. Estel's sacrifice will not be in vain." He paused, and his voice choked as he asked the question on his mind. "How does he fare?"  
  
Elrond ran a hand over his face and lowered his head for a moment. A heavy sigh escaped him. "He sleeps."  
  
Legolas' heart jumped to his throat, knowing that such a phrase could have more than one meaning. Fighting back the tears that were coming to his eyes, he opened his mouth to ask a question but Elrond continued.  
  
"The fever is lower but even so, it drains him of the little strength he has," the elf lord whispered. "If he is to recover, it will need to break soon or the dehydration will-" He did not continue, unable to utter the words.  
  
Legolas felt a wave of intense relief. Estel was still alive and doing a bit better. It wasn't much, and there was still bad news but the fear that had been eating at the elf prince diminished slightly. Running a hand over his head, he tried to push out some of the knots. Things were going to get better. After all, once he hit rock bottom the only way to go was up, right?  
  
"Well, it is good to hear his fever is down some," the prince whispered. "May I go see him before I go to bed?"  
  
Elrond nodded, "Aye, I'll be back in a moment." He rubbed his head, showing he was obviously suffering from a headache. "I need to send a letter home but I need to fetch some parchment. It won't take long. I-"  
  
He stopped dead as a clearly human yell rang through the air, followed by a loud thud. The two elves met eyes for a moment before rushing down the hallway to the room where the sound had originated. Neither could stop panic from entering their hearts as they ran into the room, one right after the other, hoping to find things peaceful  
  
It was far from peaceful.  
  
~*~  
  
The man had yelled loudly and rolled out of the way when he had climbed onto the bed. Even ill, he was an admirable opponent but Sméagol knew he could overwhelm him. Holding the knife in one of his long hands, he leapt off the bed after the man, preparing to strike once more. His dagger hit tiled floor and vibrated painfully in his hand. Growling in frustration, he advanced upon the helpless human who was trying to flatten himself against the wall.  
  
A hiss of sorts escaped him as he raised the dagger to strike, knowing this time there was nowhere for the man to hide. He was going to do it! He was going to rid himself of the evil, awful man. This would make him feel better. But if this was truly what he wanted, why did it just seem to be so wrong? He felt himself hesitating and shook his head as though trying to clear it. It was the man's fault that he was in this situation! Why was he not striking him dead?  
  
His moment of internal struggle proved to be the man's saving grace.  
  
Something sliced his fingers and he let out a wail, dropping his weapon immediately. Another slice bit at his shoulder, and though the cut was shallow like the first, it hurt. He cowered away, trying to avoid the cutting blade. His dodges were not completely in vain, and only one more blow hit him. He tried to look pathetic as someone towered over him, looking more than disgusted. Gollum, with all his opposing and strange emotions, was not even sure if he could categorize the expression on the person's face.  
  
Legolas looked down at the creature, his eyes ablaze. The creature that had once been a curiosity to him now seemed to be the foulest and most damned thing that roamed the earth. The prince was suddenly very glad that he had not had time to change his clothing or even take off his weapons. Had he not had his daggers on him, Estel probably would be dead at the hands of this monster.  
  
The prince levelled his weapon, so the point was pressed into the skin of Sméagol's chest. The corrupted one whimpered and tried to get away but he was in a corner and unable to escape the cruel steal. The blade was a simple warning: move and die. Legolas turned towards Elrond, who was kneeling next to Estel, trying to calm the man.  
  
Elrond gently stroked his foster son's face, whispering meaningless words of nonsense to the distraught and ill man. If Estel heard him, he gave very little sign that he did. He cowered from his father's touch, and his fingers clutched at the floor beneath him. Glazed and uncomprehending eyes stared straight ahead and the man was breathing rapidly.  
  
"Easy Estel," Elrond murmured. "Easy my little one, I am here......" His fingers brushed some wayward hair from the man's face and he said again. "I am here."  
  
The pale, sweat dotted countenance turned towards the elf and his eyes locked with the deep silver ones. Elrond swallowed hard, seeing beneath the delirium, the internal pain the man suffered from. As gently as he could, the elf lord wrapped his arms around the man and pulled him close, allowing him to rest against the elf's chest. His throat seemed to close and he had a hard time saying the words that he needed to speak.  
  
"I love you Estel," was the choked whisper. "I love you as much as I love Elladan and Elrohir and Arwen. I am so sorry I hurt you. Please don't leave me. Don't leave Arwen." His voice grew so soft that even an elf would have trouble hearing him. "Even if in the future, I deny the fact that you and she should be together, I will be wrong. Do not listen to me. In the end, the two of you will be together for the Valar have long since destined you for it."  
  
The tense and wary body relaxed in his arms and a faint, disease stricken voice replied, "I know you love me, Ada. I love you too."  
  
~*~  
  
TBC.....  
  
~*~  
  
And to all those who didn't think it would get done, HAHA! :P Hope you enjoyed it! Love you all a lot! The last chapter/epilogue will be up within a week hopefully but in no more than two. ^_^ 


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